reauthorize

verb

re·​au·​tho·​rize (ˌ)rē-ˈȯ-thə-ˌrīz 

reauthorized; reauthorizing; reauthorizes

transitive verb

: to authorize (something or someone) again

especially : to renew the authority or effective legal power, warrant, or right of

called for Congress to reauthorize the Clean Water Act

Since passage, each law has been amended or "reauthorized," a confusing process under which existing statutes are reenacted with new language.

—Gregg Easterbrook

reauthorization

(ˌ)rē-ˌȯ-th(ə-)rə-ˈzā-shən 

noun

plural reauthorizations

Congressional leaders are expected to continue negotiating a long-term reauthorization of the program in the coming weeks.

—Mike Debonis

Examples of reauthorize in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Specifically, the temporary pandemic-era allowances that have been repeatedly renewed to enable payments, could no longer be reauthorized. —Yuki Noguchi, NPR, 6 Nov. 2025

The ongoing federal government shutdown has prevented Congress from voting to reauthorize the ACA premium tax credits. —Tesfaye Negussie, ABC News, 4 Nov. 2025

In 2022, the scheme was reformed and reauthorized by Congress following years of fraud and national security concerns. —Didi Kirsten Tatlow, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025

This bill will reauthorize the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Digital Coast Program. —Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 21 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1605, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for reauthorize

• actualize
• antagonize
• apologise
• apologize
• capitalize
• categorize
• characterize
• commercialize
• conceptualize
• contrariwise
• criminalize
• decentralize